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| Field name |
Value |
| Collection Reference Number
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GLC06648.01
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| From Archive Folder
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Documents Relating to the 1880s
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| Title
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William Henry Herndon to Mr. Kirk describing his perceptions of Abraham Lincoln
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| Date
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22 November 1885
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| Author
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Herndon, William Henry (1818-1891)
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| Document Type
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Correspondence
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| Content Description
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Gives a friend his perceptions of Abraham Lincoln as a thinker, man, and statesman. He writes in part that Lincoln was "in the best sense of the word..., a deep, thorough and persistent thinker and a great reader of the political history of his country ... he was honest - prudent - far seeing - sagacious - he was cautious - conservative ... " He goes on to say that Lincoln had not reached his full mental maturity as he was assassinated at only 56 years old. Mentions that Lincoln also had negatives as he was not a perfect man, but does not list them.
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| Subjects
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Reconstruction President Politics Lincoln Assassination Assassination
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| People
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Herndon, William Henry (1818-1891) Lincoln, Abraham (1809-1865)
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| Place written
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Springfield, Illinois
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| Theme
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The Presidency; Government & Politics; Reconstruction
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| Sub-collection
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The Gilder Lehrman Collection, 1860-1945
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| Additional Information
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Herndon was a friend, law partner, and biographer of Abraham Lincoln.
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| Copyright
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The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
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| Module
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Civil War, Reconstruction and the Modern Era: 1860-1945
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| Related documents
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William Henry Herndon to Mr. Noyes regarding a lecture on Abraham Lincoln's religion
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| Transcript
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Show/hide Springfield Ills. Novr. 22d '85 Friend Kirk: What is a politician? If a politician is one who studies and well understands the best and wisest policies of states, then Mr. Lincoln was a fine fine politician in the best sense of the word. Mr. Lincoln was a deep - thorough & persistent thinker and a great reader of the political history of his Country as found in Congressional & Constitutional debates - speeches - newspapers - reviews - histories &c: he had fine reasoning faculties, backed by a good judgement, time being given him: he was honest - prudent - far seeing - sagacious: he was Cautious - conservative and felt his way before he acted: he loved fundamental principles and instinctively saw the trend - the tendency of his age and moved along [struck: the] abreast of a working [illegible]: he had no spirit for theory & no Eye for the speculative, but wholy & solely depended upon the observation - Experiment & reason for his Conclusions & Conventions: he loved justice and the Eternal right, but was no reformer nor philanthropist: he was simply a practical man in the world of the practical. In the matter of principle his matter in Effect was the greatest good to all and to Each, and in the matter of measures simply it [inserted: his matter] was [2] the greatest good to the greatest number without injury to the less number. Mr. Lincoln studied political Economy pretty thoroughly: he had none of the elements of the demagogue, the trickster - hypocrite - dodger or time server: he never appealed to the passions, prejudices or ignorance of a crowd, but always appealed to the peoples reason - judgement - sense of right. Mr. Lincoln had not arrived at his mental maturity - was 56 only when assassinated. Had it not been for the terrible war Mr. Lincoln would not only have proved that he was a fine politician, but a statesman: he had all the Elements of a statesman. What he needed was time & circumstance to develop the man. I am no hero worshiper as you know & yet I am for justice. I think I have given you the leading - positive qualities of Mr. Lincoln. I have not mentioned his negatives: he had some for he lacked in being a perfect man. You must take him as a whole and nothing less if you wish to do him justice. Read over my lectures - synopsis - as found in the memoriam &c. and see his negatives - Your Friend W H Herndon
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